"Mother," said Frederick to her, in a low voice, "I once wished to kill, and there are people there whom I can save from death."
Marie was heroic.
"Go, my child; we will go together," said she.
And she took a step which indicated her desire to go with the boat.
"Madame," cried David, divining her purpose, "this is impossible!"
"M. David, I will not abandon my son."
"Mother!"
"Where you go, Frederick, I will go."
"Madame," answered David, "the boat can only hold five persons. There is a man, a woman, and three children to save; to accompany us in the boat is to force us to leave to certain death the father, the mother, and the children."
At these words, Madame Bastien said to her son, "Go then alone, my child."